Rotary engine

Abstract

An internal combustion engine has a rotor and a vane extending slidably through the rotor in a transverse direction for rotation therewith. The vane has opposite ends extendable beyond the rotor. A stator has a hollow, cylindrical interior. The rotor is rotatably received within the interior. The stator has opposite side walls with circumferentially extending depressions therein. The depressions are shaped to slidably receive the ends of the vane in sealing contact. The depressions of the opposite walls are staggered, causing transverse reciprocation of the vane as the rotor is rotated.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An internal combustion engine comprising a stator having a cylindrical hollow with opposite side walls and an annular wall between the side walls; a rotor within the hollow mounted on a shaft, the rotor having side walls adjacent the side walls of the stator; circumferentially extending recesses in the side walls of the stator forming first and second chambers between the rotor and the side wall of the stator on each side of the rotor, the recesses having inclined surfaces which form tapering forward and rear ends of the chambers in the direction of rotation of the rotor, the chambers on one of the side walls of the stator being circumferentially displaced with respect to the chambers of the opposite side wall; vanes in the rotor capable of transverse reciprocation with respect to the direction of rotation of the rotor; intake and exhaust means connected to the recesses, the intake means communicating with each first chamber and the exhaust means communicating with each second chamber; means for transferring compressed air from each first chamber to the second chamber on the same side of the rotor, the means for transferring compressed air comprising conduits in the annular wall of the stator generally between, but not communicating with, the forward end of each first chamber and the rearward end of the second chamber on the same side of the rotor, a first passageway adjacent the rearward side of each vane in the direction of rotation of the rotor on each side of the rotor and a second passageway adjacent the forward side of each vane in the direction of rotation of the rotor on each side of the rotor, the passageways extending between the side walls of the rotor and the annular wall thereof, each first passageway connecting one of the first chambers to one of the conduits when the adjacent vane is near the forward end of the one first chamber, the second passageway on the same side of the rotor as said each first passageway connecting said one conduit to the second chamber on said same side of the rotor when said adjacent vane is near the rear end of the second chamber; and means for releasing the compressed air from the conduits to an exhaust outlet of the exhaust means comprising an exhaust passageway in the stator connected to the exhaust outlet and an opening in the annular wall of the rotorlocated rearwardly of each of the first and second passageways in the direction of rotation of the rotor. 
     
     
       2. An internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intake means is near the rear end of each first chamber and the exhaust means is near the forward end of each second chamber. 
     
     
       3. An internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fuel injector near the rear end of each second chamber. 
     
     
       4. An internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening of the means for releasing comprises a groove in the annular wall of the rotor. 
     
     
       5. An internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising inner and outer circumferential seals on each side wall of the rotor, the seals being located radially inwards and radially outwards of the vanes.